Mirror, Mirror
by sweetkiwi604
Summary: They thought a new house in a new town would have been a fresh start. They were wrong. Caryl. Written for EnglishPoet18's fear challenge.
1. Chapter 1

**Written for EnglishPoet18's fear challenge. Figured if I'm going out of my comfort zone then I'm going to also use a pairing that I usually stay away from writing to really challenge myself. Let me know what you think :)**

Mirror, Mirror

Carol stood in the driveway just staring at the house. She couldn't see the crack in the window pane in the bottom left corner or the few shingles that were missing from the roof. She didn't think about it only having one closet sized bathroom or the fact that the stove didn't work. The lawn was overgrown and the driveway was merely loose stone but she smiled nonetheless because it was theirs. She could just imagine Daryl rolling his eyes and shaking his head at her for standing out in the rain but this was a feeling she didn't want to ever forget. Against all odds they had gotten out of the town that held any nightmare they could have ever imagined and were starting anew.

Daryl had gone down to the shop for orientation which he had grumbled about the whole morning, muttering under his breath what the fuck he needed to be orientated to since he was pretty sure that an engine would look the same four towns over as it had in his old garage. Two cups of coffee and three cigarettes later the truck was rumbling to life as he backed out of the driveway leaving Carol to decorate as she pleased.

She hadn't realized how much the two of them actually had until the boxes were littering the floors just waiting to be unpacked. There was a moment of wondering where she should start before she picked the one closest to her and got to work. Halfway through the pile in the living room she found their old radio and plugged it in, happy to drown out the silence that had been surrounding her for the better part of the day.

When she came across a box of random items she decided to put it in the basement to go through it at another time though if she was being honest at this point she would have been quite content to never have to see another box again. She pulled the wooden door open and pawed at the wall in search of the switch. She flicked it a few times and sighed when the light hadn't turned on. Setting the box down in the hallway, she grabbed the flashlight that she had found and clicked it on. She stood at the top of the stairs wondering if she should just wait until Daryl got home but then chastised herself for such a ridiculous idea. She was a grown ass woman that wasn't going to be afraid of the dark, unfinished, basement.

Carol swept the flashlight in front of her as she descended the stairs with the box tucked under one arm when she spotted a light bulb hanging from a single wire in the middle of the room. She tapped it a few times, figuring the connection was bad before unscrewing it, the distinct sound of the filaments rattling around inside. A blown bulb they could deal with and she breathed out a breath in relief that it wasn't something more serious. She set the box on the floor and noticed another one off in the corner.

She was certain Daryl hadn't brought any down there but curiosity got the best of her as she opened the dusty flaps. There were a few pictures inside of a little girl with pin straight raven hair, always in the same white dress and never a smile on her face, along with a few porcelain dolls and a stained ribbon. Carol shivered as she felt the temperature drop in the basement and she put the items back where she found them before climbing the stairs.

She couldn't get the pictures off of her mind. She couldn't imagine why such a beautiful little girl would have looked as if the life had been sucked out of her. She went back to unpacking until she heard a tapping noise. She glanced around the living room trying to decide where it came from but then it was gone. The radio station turned to static and the lights flickered but she figured it was from the storm. She put herself on the mission of finding the box of candles before they completely lost power when the tapping was heard again.

Carol opened the door and stuck her head out, scanning the porch and then further out into their yard but there wasn't anything there. While standing in the open doorway she heard the tapping again followed by a giggle that sent a shiver of fear up her spine.

"Hello?" She called out, shutting the door and straining to hear any other noises that would let her know if someone else was there. She didn't necessarily expect to get a response and truth be told she wasn't sure what she would do if she got one.

The lights flickered again and she turned off the radio, the static only grating her nerves at this point, but it still made noise until she unplugged it from the wall. There was another giggle, this time louder than the last, followed by more tapping. It sounded as if something was hitting against glass but the rain had about stopped at this point. She wasn't naïve enough to walk through the house in search of an intruder unarmed but with most of their things still in boxes she didn't have much to choose from. She found a large wrench in the kitchen, leaning against the cabinet as a reminder for Daryl to fix the sink, and she carried it like a baseball bat as she moved further down the hallway.

_Come play with me._

The words washed over Carol like a whispered shadow and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. The voice was coming from the bathroom and she regripped the wrench as she stared at the door for a second. She really had to stop reading the murder mysteries, she thought to herself as she stood there deciding what to do.

_Come play with me._

Carol opened the bathroom door with the wrench raised ready to attack whoever was in there but she found the room empty. She cautiously glanced around the shower curtain and even peeked behind the door just to be sure. She was about to worry she had a few screws loose in her head when out of the corner of her eyes she caught a reflection in the mirror. There was the little girl from the pictures staring back at her, a drop of blood rolling down her cheek like a tear.

_Come play with me._

Carol felt a flash of pain behind her eyes that went beyond that of a migraine. The wrench clanked to the tiled floor as she clutched her head in agony. Blood dripped out of her tear ducts as the little girl giggled. She wasn't sure how much more pain she could take and did the only thing she could think of. She grabbed the wrench and swung it at the mirror as hard as she could. Pieces of glass shattered to the floor and through a gasp of air the pain vanished as quickly as the image of the little girl.

**X-X-X**

The steam from the shower filled the room as Daryl washed away the stress from the day. It was nothing like before in fact it was the most relaxed he had been in years. He rolled his head from side to side, stretching out his muscles, and made a mental note to add plumbing to the never ending list of things that needed to be fixed in the house. The sounds of a soft giggle met his ears and he wiped the curtain open expecting to see Carol sneaking in the shower with him but the smirk left his face when he was met with an empty bathroom. He must have been more exhausted than he realized.

Daryl cut the water off, barely drying himself off with the fluffy towel Carol had unpacked earlier, and noticed for the first time that the mirror had been taken off the wall. The house still had a chill in it and he wrapped the towel around his waist until he could grab a pair of sleep pants. The wooden floor creaked even beneath his muted steps as if the house itself was complaining of its age. Carol was propped up against the headboard with a book in her hands, the soft glow from the lamp accentuating the few freckles across the bridge of her nose.

"You take the mirror down?" He questioned, letting the towel fall to the floor as he rummaged through the few boxes they had yet to unpack in search of pants.

Carol froze for a moment, remembering her ordeal from earlier, and then shook her head. She let the murder mystery she had been reading get into her head and that's all it was. "Yeah, is that okay?"

He had been going through the wrong box and he held up a bright red thong on his finger with an eyebrow raised. He let out a bark of a laugh as her face turned the same color. Shoving them back in the box, he moved to the next. "Don't have to ask, Carol. It's your house too."

Her cheeks were still flushed in embarrassment as she set her book on the bedside table. "Hey, there wasn't a little girl that used to live here, right?"

"Dunno," he shrugged, finally giving up his search for clothes and deciding to just sleep naked. It was then he truly noticed the off expression on her face. "Why?"

She chewed her bottom lip for a minute, contemplating where she should even begin telling him about her day, and let out a long breath. "Just curious. Found some old toys in the basement." Daryl hummed a response in the back of his throat as he stared up at the ceiling. "I think I'll get rid of them in the morning."

_Come play with me._

Carol's eyes scanned the room and her heart about beat out of her chest. She nudged Daryl and whispered, "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"


	2. Chapter 2

**I'll be honest this was supposed to be a one shot and then this chapter just sort of happened. I know I probably only raised more questions than I answered and I can't promise there will be more but I hope you enjoy either way :)**

Chapter 2

Carol was more exhausted when she woke up than when they had gone to bed. She wasn't used to being such a light sleeper but every time a floor board creaked or the heat kicked on her eyes would snap open, searching the darkness for any sign of the little girl. Daryl had stirred a few times when she had involuntarily flinched but otherwise slept soundly. She changed out of her sleep clothes and stood outside of the bathroom door for a moment. The house seemed less haunted when the sun was high in the sky, shining so brightly through the cracked windows that it brought not only warmth but a feeling of home to it. They only had the one bathroom and she wasn't going to be able to avoid it forever. The smell of Daryl's lit cigarette filled her senses, giving her the encouragement she needed to relieve herself.

She stood at the sink after she washed her hands and just stared at the wall where the mirror had been. She remembered the pain, unlike anything she had felt before, and even swiped at her cheeks almost expecting to see blood again. She could have stood there all day and still not have been able to wrap her mind around what happened. Music floated through the air and she left the bathroom to see Daryl's snubbed out cigarette in the ashtray that sat on the stove as he worked on the back of it.

"Morning," she greeted as she poured herself a cup of coffee and leaned against the counter. He grunted in response as a piece of metal hit the linoleum floor. "How did you get the radio to work?"

There were a few muttered curses before he answered. "Plugged it in."

She rolled her eyes, "Must have been the storm we had. There was nothing but static yesterday. Thought the knob might have been broken even after I turned it off it still made noise until it was unplugged."

Since Daryl had already been a mechanic and easily knew his way around the shop they only required one day of orientation. Carol was relieved that at least he would be home for the weekend before starting work on that Monday. There was plenty on their to-do list that needed to be completed but with him home she felt more at ease. She didn't want to go as far as saying she was scared. She was a grown woman who learned to deal with her nightmares years ago but it didn't sit right with her. She could only hope that whatever had happened was over now that the mirror had been destroyed.

**X-X-X**

Daryl was on his back with one knee bent as he worked on the pipe beneath the sink. He had already done all he could with the stove but it was beyond repair so he moved onto the next thing on the list. He started thinking maybe they should have kept looking for houses but he had seen the way Carol's eyes lit up with hope when they first saw it. This was their new beginning, a second chance at having the life neither thought was possible, and that was more than enough for him. She was more than enough for him. He would spend every free minute and every spare penny to turn it into a house she deserved.

He listened to her hum as she went room to room unpacking more of the boxes. Last night he had worried that she might have been reconsidering their move. There was an uneasiness about her that he had never seen before. He had felt her tossing and turning throughout the night but today she was back to her old self. Daryl removed the trap and gush of dirty water fell into the bucket he had waiting. Something hanging out of the pipe caught the corner of his eye and he pulled on it, assuming it was the reason the sink was backed up. Checking to make sure the pipe was now clear, he reattached the trap and tightened the washers. Carol came into the kitchen to drop off a box of dishes that had gotten mixed up with their bedroom things and he caught her attention. "Hey, try the water, will you?"

She flipped the faucet on and waited patiently as it swirled down the drain with ease. "You fixed it." Daryl felt a sense of pride fill his chest at her excitement though any idiot with a wrench could have figured it out. He bit his tongue as he stood up and wiped his hands on a rag before stuffing it back in his back pocket. Carol looked in the bucket and scrunched her nose in disgust. "Surprised that didn't smell the kitchen up."

Daryl shook his head, "Nah. Wasn't food."

"Good thing."

He picked up the bucket and headed out the back door to empty it when Carol noticed the ribbon that had been clogging the sink. The temperature in the room dropped and she ran her hands over her arms. She was about to head back to the living room when the flame of the candle danced before extinguishing itself.

_Come play with me._

Daryl came back in to see her still standing in the middle of the kitchen, arms wrapped tightly around herself. "You alright?"

She wasn't. But then how was she supposed to tell him that she was hearing voices? That she hadn't taken the mirror down but had broken it because of what she saw, what she felt. He was sure to send her straight to the nut house and at this point she almost wondering herself.

While she went over in her head what she should say she hadn't realized that she hadn't answered at all until he stepped closer. His hand rested on her hip as he tilted his head to catch her line of sight. "Carol?"

"Hmm?" She met those eyes that she got lost in every single time she looked at him and forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Didn't sleep too well last night just over tired is all."

He stared at her not believing a single word coming out of her mouth but not wanting to push her either. "Why don't you go lay down for awhile. Boxes ain't going nowhere."

She wasn't about to waste her time with him by sleeping and shook her head. "I want to at least finish the living room today." He looked ready to argue but before he could she leaned forward and kissed him. She could feel him trying to hold back but, as she knew he would, he relaxed into it and responded. She pulled away, giving him one more chaste kiss on the cheek before heading back to the never ending boxes.

**X-X-X**

There was a soft knock and Carol froze, not daring to even take a breath of air. Her gaze floated out the back window above the sink and saw Daryl moving about the shed. He was in hearing distance so that if she screamed he would have come running. She almost didn't want to go see where it was coming from when the sound came again. She set the plate back in the soapy water and dried her hands on the dishtowel, letting out a sigh in relief when she realized there was someone on the front porch. Opening the door she was faced with a plump, elderly woman wearing wire rimmed glasses and a warm smile. "Can I help you?"

"I just knew someone had moved in here," the elderly woman beamed as she held out a round covered dish to Carol. "It's been so long since Marv and I had neighbors that I couldn't help myself. Had to bake you a pie to welcome you."

Carol took the pie and opened the door a little wider so the woman could enter. "That was very nice of you…" she trailed off, hoping to pick up a name as she moved into the kitchen and set the pie on the table.

"Oh, where are my manners? I'm sorry, dear, I'm Gayle Hollis. My husband, Marv, and I live just the next property over."

"Carol," she introduced herself and pointed out the back window, "And that's Daryl." Carol wasn't sure what else to say to the woman and nodded to the pot of coffee she had made. "Can I offer you something to drink?"

"Water would be lovely, dear, if you don't mind. Coffee this late in the day and I'll be up all night."

Mrs. Hollis took a seat at the table as Carol filled a glass with water and fixed herself another cup of coffee. The elderly woman graciously thanked her and they sat in silence. Carol held her coffee mug in both hands, the ceramic warming her chilled fingers. There was so much she wanted to ask but wasn't sure exactly where to start. "Did you know the previous owners?"

Mrs. Hollis' smile fell from her face as she nodded. "Such a beautiful family."

Carol waited for her to continue but when she never did she tried pressing her a little further. "You don't happen to still be in touch with them, are you?" Carol swore she saw a look of fear wash across the woman's features and she quickly added, "I found a box in the basement that I think belongs to them."

"I'm sorry, dear, I don't." Mrs. Hollis carefully set her cup on the table and took off her glasses so that they hung around her neck on a small chain. "The Quinn family moved away quite some time ago." She pursed her lips together for a moment to gather her thoughts. "There was a terrible accident and took the life of one of their daughters. It turned the family inside out with grief until one day they were just gone. House has been empty for a good many years and I started to fear we would never have neighbors again. Not too many people out this way."

Carol remembered the pictures she had found but was a bit confused because she had only seen one child. "Daughters?"

Mrs. Hollis appeared as if she pulled back into a memory and smiled a bit, "Twin girls to be precise. They were inseparable and Mrs. Quinn used to dress them in the most darling dresses. Hair used to always be pulled back with such colorful ribbons. Truth be told, I never could tell them apart." She stood from her chair and gently patted Carol's cheek. "A little tip for you, dear; don't go asking old ladies for stories of the past or you'll never get anything done. I best be going before Marv gets into something he shouldn't and let you get back to getting the house in order." Carol walked her to the front door and she turned around with the same warm smile that she had when she arrived. "Need anything at all we're always home. Don't be a stranger now, you hear?"

Carol bid her farewell and watched until she made it safely down the front steps before closing the door. She couldn't imagine what it must have been like to have lost a daughter and a deep sadness settled heavy in her chest. Daryl came through the back door carrying a mirror. "Found this in the shed. You want it in the bathroom?"

She couldn't exactly avoid mirrors for the rest of her life and nodded, "Sure. That would be great."

**X-X-X**

Daryl mentioned seeing a bar in town that advertised having the best burgers and Carol agreed that they should get out of the house for a bit. She had rolled the window down in the truck so it wasn't so stuffy and froze with her hand on the knob. In the side mirror of the truck she saw the little girl and when she whipped her head around to look where she should have been standing there was nothing. She was almost too scared to look back to the mirror.

_Come play with me._

A soft giggle filled the truck and Daryl cut the music that had been playing low in the background. "You say something?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Alright, I changed this from complete to in progress. I can't promise it will be a lengthy but it seems as though their story wants to be told so I go with what the muse tells me. Hope you all are still enjoying :)**

**Song used is Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival**

Chapter 3

"And it all started after I found this box in the basement from the previous owners," Carol finished telling him about everything that had happened since he left for work Friday morning. Well, everything except the part where she was bleeding out of her eyes. She didn't want to freak him out too much but now she wasn't so sure. He just sat there, not touching his food, staring at her with an expression she couldn't read. She didn't think he had even blinked in the last few minutes. "Daryl?"

His mind was reeling from her words. When she had said she needed to talk to him about something there was a million possibilities that ran through his mind but not one even came close to this. There had to be some explanation for all of this. Maybe there was a gas leak in the house he hadn't noticed and she had been exposed to it for too long. Maybe she was feverish causing her to be delusional. Though he tried to think of every rational reason for her spinning this ridiculous story his mind also went to the giggle he heard in the shower last night and what he thought he heard in the truck. He mentally chastised himself for even considering it. Ghost, spirits, the boogieman were all just stories told to scare someone.

Carol let out a long breath and twirled the ice around her glass with her straw. "I'm not insane, you know. You can't tell me that there hasn't been one questionable moment for you since we've been in that house."

"Shit like that ain't real," he finally spoke though his face stayed expressionless. He didn't want her under the impression that he thought she was nine shades of crazy but he wasn't sure how to fix something he didn't believe in.

"Oh, but your chupacabra is?"

Daryl's eyes left her face and flicked down to the burger sitting in front of him. "I know what I saw."

The waitress came over to their table to make sure they didn't need anything else and for once Daryl welcomed the interruption as he tried to wrap his head around Carol's words. He almost asked if Merle had put her up to it but the seriousness on her face told him that she truly believed what she was saying. Her eyes swam with the nightmares as she retold the story and as much as he wanted to reach across the table to grab her hand, offer her some kind of comfort, he couldn't move.

Carol asked the woman to box up the rest of their food and wished she waited until after he had eaten to tell him. She didn't expect this to be an easy conversation but if this little girl was after her for whatever reason she needed him to know. There wasn't even one other person in the world who could put her fears at ease the way he could.

"I think we need to get rid of that box," Carol spoke again as Daryl pulled his wallet out and left a few folded bills on the table along with the bill. "Maybe then it will all stop."

Daryl simply nodded, not having anything better to say at the moment but if getting rid of it made her forget all this then he would gladly destroy the thing any way he could.

**X-X-X**

The night was alive with the sounds of the crickets and tree frogs singing in harmony. The ride back to the house had been in silence both wrapped up in their own thoughts. Going home wasn't supposed to raise a fear in you so strong that it tightened your chest and closed your throat. It was supposed to be a sanctuary. The one place to go where you felt safe. Carol unlocked the front door but paused when she heard music playing. _Hope you got your things together_. Daryl stepped around her, flipping the light on and scanning the room for anything out of place. _Hope you are quite prepared to die_. With one look, never a word leaving his mouth, he told Carol to stay where she was as he went further into the house checking for intruders. _Looks like we're in for nasty weather_. The music playing through the house felt ominous and Carol only wondered if it was meant as a warning. _One eye is taken for an eye_.

When Daryl had gone down the hallway but hadn't returned Carol nervously chewed on her bottom lip. She knew he didn't want her to go further into the house without his say so but a chill ran through her. "Daryl?"

He came back with the radio in his hand as it started playing the song over again. He held the cord in one hand and showed her that it wasn't plugged in. "Shit don't make sense."

Carol finally stepped through the threshold and closed the door behind her, clicking the lock into place. "Nothing seems to make sense anymore. What do you say we get rid of that box, huh?"

"Alright," he nodded as he ripped the cord from the back of the radio, hoping the music would stop playing. When it didn't it only pissed him off more until he chucked it against the wall and it broke into pieces. Carol gave him a look but at least the song had quit taunting them.

She went with him to the basement and pointed out the box that had been in question. He could have picked it out easily enough from how worn it. He didn't bother to peer inside at its contents as he walked upstairs and straight out the backdoor with it. He dropped it in the old metal garbage can and lit a book of matches before dropping it in the container, watching as it set on fire. The flames danced around the edges, eating away at the horrors trapped within. After watching it burn for a few minutes he put the lid on to snuff out the fire.

He came back inside to see Carol standing in the kitchen with her brow creased in confusion. "What's wrong?"

Carol's head whipped around, searching the countertops before her gaze fell back onto the table. "I swear it was right here." She pointed to the empty table for emphasis. "Mrs. Hollis stopped by earlier to welcome us to the neighborhood and brought a pie with her."

"Who?"

"Mrs. Hollis. She and her husband, Marv, live next door. Told me about the family that used to live here. She was the one who confirmed that there was a little girl that used to live here. Well, twin girls actually and about the ribbons they used to wear in their hair…" she trailed off at the concern written across Daryl's face and an uneasy feeling settled deep in her stomach. "What?"

"Carol, we don't have neighbors."

Her hand immediately went to her cheek where Mrs. Hollis had patted her before saying she had to leave. "Of course we do."

"You were pretty out of it earlier," he tried to keep the worry out of his voice as she looked on the verge of panicking. "Maybe you dozed off and it was all a dream."

Carol knew that wasn't the truth. The woman had been sitting right in front of her. They had conversation, the woman had patted her cheek, and drank a glass of water for God's sake but wasn't about to argue with him right now so she slightly nodded. "Yeah. Maybe you're right."

Her gaze floated over to the glass she had washed earlier after Mrs. Hollis left and knew that there was someone here. Daryl wouldn't lie to her, he had no reason to, so if he said they didn't have neighbors that just meant Mrs. Hollis hadn't been who she said she was.

Daryl stepped closer, his thumb swiping over cheek as he searched her eyes for every truth her lips were too scared to reveal. "Sure you're okay?"

She closed her eyes at his touch and turned her head to kiss his palm. "I will be." She opened her eyes and forced a smile. "Think I'm just going to go get changed for bed."

Carol left him in the kitchen more worried than she would have liked but until she could figure out what was going on there would be no way to put his fears at ease. She was the reason those fears were there in the first place and she wondered if maybe there was something wrong with her. She pulled her shirt over her head and dropped it in the laundry basket before unbuttoning her pants. She felt a rush of cold air as if someone had walked past her and she spun around but no one was there. She could hear Daryl cleaning up the broken radio and fought down her nerves as she opened the closet to get her bathrobe out.

She slipped on the worn robe and secured it around her waist before searching for her slippers when she noticed a piece of wallpaper that had been handing off the back wall. She could have sworn she saw something underneath and was about to just forget it for tonight but against her better judgment she started peeling the paper away from the wall.

"Daryl!"

He was in the bedroom quicker than she thought was possible, his eyes quickly scanning her body to make sure she was okay. She moved into his side as she pointed at the words. The crimson liquid reflected the light as thick, sticky droplets moved down the paint towards the wooden floor, adding to the fear that was already eating at them.

_Come play with me._


	4. Chapter 4

**Just a heads up that there will probably only be one more chapter before I mark this one complete :)**

Chapter 4

"The hell does that mean?" Daryl questioned, carefully taking a step closer and swiping his finger through the red substance. He almost expected it to be wet paint that she had put there to mess with him but he had seen the pure terror in her eyes when he came in the room. He rubbed his fingers together and cautiously sniffed it. There was no doubt in his mind that it was blood but it seemed fresh. "You hurt?" He turned back to Carol, his eyes scanning every inch of her body to make sure the blood hadn't come from her.

"No," she shook her head but her words didn't calm his worry as his hands ran over her arms before settling on her hips. "I'm fine, Daryl." She let out an unhumorous chuckle. "Besides the fact that there is something seriously wrong with-"

"There's nothing wrong with you," he cut her off and the conviction behind his words made her smile.

"Well, thank you but I was going to say the house."

He shook his head almost angrily, "A house can't do that. It's four walls of wood, nails, and pipes. Someone is messing with us."

"Why would anyone want to do that?"

"'Cause there are sick fucks in the world," he answered, stepping back from her. He grabbed the tall lamp and set it by her feet, looking her straight in the eye. "Goin' to go check the rest of the place and make sure it's all locked up. Swing if you see somethin' and holler I'll come running."

Daryl was out of the room before she could even say anything and she glanced over to the lamp. She tried to imagine actually having to use it to defend herself and started to wonder if maybe this whole ordeal knocked a few screws loose in his head. She couldn't blame him though, not really, it was easier to think it was a living, breathing human being rather than something supernatural. It was the unknown that was feared the most. She trained her ears in an attempt to figure out where in the house he had disappeared to but it was no use. It was almost eerily silent and when the heat kicked on she jumped, her hand going to the stand of the light.

A soft giggle met her ears and she picked up the lamp, holding it like a baseball bat as her eyes swept the room. The over head light flickered and she tightened her grip on the stand. Daryl stepped into the room and she swung with all her might at the sudden movement. There was a grunt as she connected with his chest and she opened her eyes to see him standing there rubbing the area.

"Shit. Least I know you can defend yourself."

Her face flamed in embarrassment and apology. "Oh God, I'm so sorry." She set the lamp down and went to check for any damage she had caused but he brushed her off.

"Have to say I'm impressed," he smirked.

The house was empty and he had made sure every window and door was locked. Now the only thing on his mind was making sure Carol got some sleep because she looked about dead on her feet. She moved to her side of the bed and started to pull the comforter down as he set the lamp back in the corner, crouching down to plug it back in. A gasp had his head snapping back to her and he saw her standing next to the bed with her hand over her heart.

Carol had pulled the comforter down in hopes of settling in for a good night's sleep when she saw a doll tucked under the covers. The porcelain doll was a mirror image of the little girl from the pristine white dress, sharp raven hair held back by a bright ribbon, and even a smudge of red in the corner of her eye.

Daryl snatched the offending object off the bed and was ready to smash it against the wall when he felt Carol's hand wrap around his arm. "Don't."

"Why the fuck not?"

Carol knew the next words out of her mouth sounded as silly to her as it was going to to him but she couldn't stop them from pouring out. "It might make her mad."

"Who? This little girl you keep talkin' about? Carol, there is no one in the house. There's no such thing as ghosts or spirits or freakin' little girls who want you to come play with them."

**X-X-X**

It was another night of no sleep and her coffee the next morning was like her lifeline and she inhaled the caffeine like a drug. She knew Daryl wasn't actually upset with her but the scowl set firmly on his face did little to reassure her. He mentioned having to go to the hardware store to pick up a few things to fix the lawn mower and she had him drop her off at the grocery store along the way. Carol pushed the cart in front of her almost blindly picking items off the shelf. The moment of normalcy out in the real world so to speak should have been a comfort but it only allowed her to think over everything that happened. She wanted to be strong and though she was trying this was a whole new level of fear she had never experienced. She even thought for a brief moment that this was somehow their penance for trying to get away from the town they were drowning in. It was supposed to be a fresh start with restful nights and stress free days but so far she had neither. She had just rounded the corner, her head barely lifting enough to take in her surroundings before she went down the next aisle. Her eye caught something though and she paused a moment. Taking a step back out of the aisle, her gaze landed on Mrs. Hollis as she stood in front of the deli counter.

She stared for a minute, convincing herself that the woman was real, and then silently debated if she was going to go talk to her. She could hear Daryl's words in her mind like a warning but she needed to get to the bottom of this. She navigated her cart through the endless people and caught up with Mrs. Hollis as soon as the employee handed her what she ordered.

Carol cleared her throat, suddenly finding it hard to say anything at all. "How are you, Mrs. Hollis?"

The woman turned around with such a smile on her face that her cheeks pushed up the glasses she was wearing. "Oh Carol, dear, it's so nice to see you." She pointed to an elderly man seated on a bench towards the front of the store with an oxygen tank sitting next to him. "My Marv. Bless his heart, still argues about driving me to the store even if he can't walk around with me anymore."

"That's sweet," Carol forced a smile and resisted the urge to reach out and touch the woman standing in front of her. They were out in public and the last thing she needed was to be seen talking to someone who really wasn't there. She at least needed to keep conversation going and said the first thing that came to her mind even if it wasn't the whole truth. "My brain must be so fried with the move that I misheard you the other day. I could have sworn you said you lived next door but when I went to invite you and your husband to dinner the house was vacant."

Carol expected for the woman to apologize, call her dear, or even flash that overly sweet smile that she had gotten so used to but none of it ever came. Mrs. Hollis glanced over to her husband before she studied Carol's face carefully. It was a moment of awkward silence that drug on for too long until Mrs. Hollis finally spoke. "You've seen her, haven't you?"

The question was soft as if keeping a secret between friends but Carol visibly blanched at the woman's words. Her expression answered it without a verbal confirmation but Carol wanted more information. "Who?"

"No one, dear," the smile was back on her face but this time Carol could still see the fear swimming in the woman's eyes. "I really should be going now. I don't want to keep Marv waiting."

Mrs. Hollis started towards the checkout when Carol made a rash decision as she called out, "She says she wants us to come play with her." Mrs. Hollis stopped in her tracks but didn't turn around. Carol walked closer so she wouldn't have to shout. "I'd also like to be able to return your pie dish to you but it seems to have gone missing."

Carol was close enough now to see a lone tear slip done Mrs. Hollis' face. "Lily loved her sweets."

"Lily," Carol repeated the name as images of the little girl flashed through her mind. It was such an innocent name for someone who appeared to be so tortured. "Is that the little girl's name? Was she one of the twins?"

"She's my sister."


End file.
